


Like Music, Like Magic; Somehow it just Happens

by LoneWolfWriter



Series: Music Producer Haught [1]
Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Alternate Title: How to Speak to an Angel, Christmas fic, F/F, Fluff, If You Can't Say Anything Nice Don't Say Nothing At All, Mentions of Wynonna and Willa, Music Producer Nicole Haught, Note: Waverly hates singing in front of big crowds, One Shot, Singer Waverly Earp, Songfic, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:08:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21934975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoneWolfWriter/pseuds/LoneWolfWriter
Summary: Twitter Prompt: After a record deal with DJ XD falls through, famous music producer and CEO of purgatory records, Nicole Haught drinks the night away at Shorty’s Speakeasy. Little does she know that this is the night that she finds the “angel” she’s been looking for
Relationships: Waverly Earp/Nicole Haught
Series: Music Producer Haught [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1579567
Comments: 9
Kudos: 81





	Like Music, Like Magic; Somehow it just Happens

**Author's Note:**

> Credit to <https://twitter.com/leftieceliz> who tweeted this amazing idea back in September. I wrote the first chapter shortly after seeing this tweet but life took over and my muse abandoned me. I thought about writing a Christmas fic and this story came back with a vengeance and now will be a series! Title of this story are lyrics from a song in this fic!
> 
> Please note that I have stated in the tags that this is a songfic. If you are not a fan of these kinds of fics, please turn back now and take your unwanted/not necessary and rude/hateful comments with you. 
> 
> If the ending feels rushed, I'm sorry now. I'm hoping it doesn't. All mistakes are my own! It's Christmas and I didn't want to bother my beta with a last-minute editing. 
> 
> Featuring Songs: (in order) 
> 
> Boy's Are like Rules from Wynonna Earp Season 2
> 
> [Lift Your Spirit Up](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8YgO6piZhk) by Dominique Provost-Chalkley
> 
>   
> [Last Christmas](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8gmARGvPlI)by Wham!
> 
> [Up All Night](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bppv5wy4mY) by David Archuleta
> 
> [Winter in the Air](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sz70efcbPPw) by David Archuleta
> 
> [All I Want for Christmas is You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH4Tw3_uFas) by Mariah Carey (Acoustic Version)

**46 Days until Christmas:**

  
  


After the long and exhausting day Nicole had, she needed a drink. It irritated her beyond compare as the last person she had hoped for, walked out on her. They had talent, beauty, and high-class. It was an odd match at first. Shae Pressman showed a lot of potential to become the next 'big thing' Nicole was looking for. She needed someone who would bring Purgatory Records to the next level, and Shae seemed like the right woman to do so. When DJ XD offered a record deal to work with them, Nicole agreed to it; never once expecting the other music producer to pull the rug out from under her and offered Shae ten times more than she ever could. Leaving Nicole high and dry, and throwing her to the wolves to defend herself.

Music was all Nicole lived and breathed for. Ever since she was a little girl, listening to songs and learning instruments was all she wanted to do. When her parents gave her a piano for her fifth birthday, she almost fainted. Feeling the keys under her fingers was a dream come true, and from there, the music never stopped flowing from her.

When Nicole was eight and was music class, the teacher brought in their personal drum set; Nicole had never been more fascinated by something so beautiful. The way her teacher strummed from drum to drum with perfect ease and creating the most fantastic beat had her begging her parents for a drum set of her own. Both said no, the piano was enough, and that didn't settle well with Nicole. Instead, she created her own by using her mother's pots and pans and used wooden spoons as the drumsticks. It didn't take long for her parents to cave in and buy a cheap kid-size set.

At age eleven, the middle school offered guitar lessons after classes, and Nicole was all for it. They were free and they only thing Nicole had to do was bring a guitar of her own. Her father already owned an electric and allowed her borrowed it to learn on. The teacher realized how well Nicole grasped everything and saw a bright future for her. Could see the little redhead becoming a music star and making money playing instruments; Nicole agreed with them 100%.

When high school arrived and school laptops were mandatory, Nicole discovered GuitarBand. An application where she could create and produce her own music. From there, song after song was carefully done with precision and flowed the way she wanted them too. It was the start of something that brought her to where she was now; a famous music producer and owner of Purgatory Records. Being famous wasn't what people made it out to be. Her career was falling down the drain faster than she would’ve liked, and Nicole had to rectify it, and soon. That was where Shae came in; her last hope. If Shae didn't produce an album or even a hit single with her, Nicole's music career was over.

Being desperate was never something Nicole liked to admit, but she had to. She desperately needed a talented soul who could bring her record studio back on top. Where that person was, was beyond her. Nicole had to find them and putting an advertisement in the local newspaper was looking better and better by the minute. No matter how desperate that made her seem.

With a deep sigh, Nicole shut the lights off and closed the door. Locking up felt final, and it caused a shiver down her back. "I'm so screwed." She mumbled to herself. The predicament she was in never once crossed Nicole's mind that it would happen to her.

From the moment she graduated from college with her music production and a business degree, she had always done well. People liked that Nicole was fresh off the press. They saw the twinkle in her eyes when hearing her aspirations about bringing opportunities to those that might not get offered a chance of a lifetime. People who played on the streets for cash felt seen and eager to work with Nicole. They felt appreciated that someone wanted to help them versus ignore their existence altogether. That was all Nicole wanted to do when she opened her studio; help others make their dream come true on top of her own.

The further Nicole walked away down the street, the more she craved to drown her sorrows in alcohol. Her go-to drink was whiskey on the rocks whenever she was out finding talent but tonight whiskey would not be enough. She needed to forget about everything and the cheapest beer on tap sounded terrific. Tonight, Nicole Haught would get drunk for the first time in a long time.

Nicole continued to walk until she reached the local pub, Shorties Speakeasy. The establishment was a place she tried to avoid. She wasn't one for retro type businesses, not that they weren't exciting; it just wasn't her thing. Her usual drinking spots were clubs in the city where the more hidden talents were at. Not that Speakeasy or Purgatory didn't have talent; most of the residents just weren't as musically inclined, which was unfortunate for Nicole.

Walking inside of Shorties was imagining stepping into a new era. Small, black, round tables with a set of red leather chairs were strategically placed around the room between the bar and the stage. The lights glimmered bright enough that it made the tabletops shine. Bar stools had backings to them and with more red leather as fabric. The stage possessed a beautiful grand piano with a man dressed in a gray suit and tie playing on it. Nicole went in further and watched the man's fingers danced along the keys with well-practiced ease. Whatever song was being played, captured her attention the moment she stepped foot into the pub and made her want to stay.

The music captivated Nicole so much that she didn’t realize she had taken up one of the empty seats at the bar. "Welcome." A soft but gruff voice brought her out of her trance. "What's your poison?"

Tearing herself from the music, Nicole turned her head and locked eyes with the bartender. His hazel eyes glowed under the lights, and his hair looked more white than blonde. He, like the man playing the piano, wore a suit, minus the blazer. Nicole spotted the creases to show that the dress shirt was iron beforehand. "Best beer you have on taps." The man nodded and went to turn. "Please," Nicole added, not wanting to sound rude.

Glancing around, Nicole saw a poster. The words Performing Tonight, followed by The One and Only, Angel, had piqued her interest. She never once heard or knew anyone that went by Angel before. Nicole lived her whole life in Purgatory and knew everyone who lived there. A unique name like that would have caused rumors to spread throughout the entire town.

“Here you go, Ms. Haught. Since when do you come here to the Speakeasy?” Shorty asked.

“Rough day. I didn't want to drive out to the city tonight. Besides, been too long since I last came here.”

As Shorty was about to reply, the song changed, and the music slowed. Whatever chatter was going on between everyone died immediately as someone stepped out on the stage. Nicole returned her attention back to the piano and felt her breath caught in the throat the second her eyes land on the girl taking center stage. Her eyes ran up and down the girl's frame, taking in the long brunette hair to the gold dress that fit her like a glove. The woman astonished Nicole and became putty in her hands the second the beautiful woman started to sing.

_You, you think you're a lion_

_Out in the wild_

_You need to be tamed,_

_And Ohh, Can you hear the sirens_

_I'mma put you under_

_Like Novocain_

  
  


“Shorty, who is that?” Nicole kept her eyes trained on the brunette. “I've never seen her before.”

“Her name is Waverly Earp but goes by Angel. She's new to town and needed a job. That girl is a saint though. She offered to sing here every night if it meant keeping the drunks from fighting.”

“Waverly Earp.” The name rolled off Nicole's tongue like honey and loved the way it sounded.

Boys are like rules,

They were made to be broken

Watching and hearing Waverly sing made every wheel in Nicole's head turn. The girl had talent. Her voice mixed well with the piano and had the calming aura to it. Waverly had every patron in the Speakeasy captured and rightfully so. She was a head-turner kind of girl. Nicole herself couldn't look away even if she tried. Something about this woman had her craving for more.

_Girls are like guns,_

_You better run, when they're smokin'_

The longer Waverly sang, the more Nicole realized that she was the person she was looking for. Waverly was the missing key that could save her career. Only now, Nicole had to introduce herself and prayed Waverly would take a chance. She waited until the set was over and the brunette stepped off the stage. It felt like a lifetime had gone by before Waverly walked behind the bar.

Nicole had to do a double-take to realize that Waverly was not only entertainment but also worked as a bartender. “Need a new drink?” That voice sent chills down Nicole's back, and it took everything in her not to shiver.

The redhead stared down at her untouched beer. “Uh, yes. Make it a whiskey on the rocks, please.”

Waverly grabbed a small glass and set it on the table. “Someone with manners. Rare find these days.” She dropped two ice cubes in the glass and poured the whiskey over it. “Here we are. Whiskey on ice.”

“Thank you... You've got an amazing voice,” Nicole complemented.

“Thanks. Just something I like to do that gets me away from pouring drinks all night.” Waverly smiled a little, and Nicole liked to die on the spot for how fast her heart was racing.

“Name's Nicole. Nicole Haught.” The producer introduced herself. “And you are Waverly Earp. Quite the popular girl around her with a voice like that.”

Waverly ducked her head, trying to hide the blush that dusted her cheeks. "Oh, you know, it's all in the smile and wave." She showed.

Nicole let out an airy laugh. “It's quite a smile if you ask me... Shorty tells me you go by Angel. I can see why.”

“Oh?” Waverly quirked an eyebrow. “And why's that?”

“Cause the second I laid eyes on you, I swear I was lookin' at one of heaven's angels,” Nicole answered as she stared Waverly in the eyes. She never saw hazel eyes like Waverly's before. Hues of light brown, greens with gold flecks mixed in. Nicole could get lost in them and would be perfectly fine in doing so.

A blush started to form at Waverly's chest and worked its way up to the tip of her ears. "You're a smooth talker, aren't you?" She questioned.

“I can't help myself. It's just... when I see something I like, I don't want to wait.” Nicole smirked.

Waverly tilted her a bit and couldn't help but smile at how hard Nicole was trying to work her charm on her. “I hate to kick you off your high horse, but you aren't my type.”

_I'm everyone's type_ , Nicole thought but kept to herself. The words stung a little, but Nicole ignored the comment. She had other matters to confront. “Okay then. No problem. How about this? A proposition?”

“I'm not that kind of girl, sorry.” Nicole saw a twinkle in Waverly's eye that said she was.

“A business proposition.” Nicole corrected, a smile gracing her face. “An opportunity of a lifetime and all you have to do is say yes.”

  
  
  
  


**25 Days until Christmas:**

  
  


For weeks, Waverly wasn’t sure what to do. She had gotten an offer of a lifetime and honestly; the whole idea frightened her. The holidays were fast approaching, which meant her job at Shorty's would become time-consuming. Never in a million years had Waverly thought about going to a music producer. She didn’t think she was talented enough but according to the town of Purgatory and Nicole Haught herself; she was.

Singing was what Waverly did as a pastime. Something to pass the void while working different jobs over the years. She never minded a small room filled with people, especially bars where fifty percent or more patrons paid no attention to her while she was up on stage. Purgatory though was a whole different experience. Once people started hearing her sing, it was like they were all under a siren spell. Enchanted by the beautiful voice that called to them and had no choice but to listen. After the first night, though Waverly had offered to sing every night, it became a request from the customers to hear the angel’s voice tame the lions entering the den.

Waverly wanted to accept the music producer's offer, but was it the right thing to do? If her music took off like Nicole was expecting it too, she would have fans that would want her to put on concerts and perform for thousands; something that terrified her. Ever since Waverly was a little girl, she had big dreams and high hopes of becoming a music sensation. If only her insecurities didn’t get the best of her every time and her thoughts of going to the recording studio and shooting down whatever morsel of hope Waverly had in that moment.

Could she do this? Did Waverly have the talent like everyone around her said she had or were they just being nice? Nicole Haught, music producer and owner of Purgatory Records offered her a deal. Was she going to turn it down? If Waverly’s older sister Wynonna was with her, she’d be dragging her to the business that the redhead owned and shoving her through the door, barking orders left and right and bolting the door shut until they recorded a song. Waverly needed some of her Wynonna’s confidence right about now.

Over the last hour Waverly toyed with the business card Nicole handed her, debating on calling and seeing if the offer still stood. After that night, Waverly did everything she could to avoid the music producer in fear of her offering the same deal again or worse, changing her mind. Thinking about Nicole always made her smile and had her heart beating faster. The feeling left her confused to no end and Waverly couldn’t understand why the redhead made her feel that way. Nicole wasn’t her type. She was straight for God’s sake. Just because the music producer had the perfect smile, gentle brown eyes, and was overall beautiful didn’t mean Waverly was attracted to her. Nope, not at all. She would deny those feelings until the end of time.

“Just call her you big baby.” Waverly said to no one but herself. She slammed her palm against her forehead and sighed. “God, I am so pathetic. What is wrong with me? Just do it already.”

After five minutes of staring at the black screen, Waverly groaned and got up from her bed. She tapped on the screen and saw the time; 11:22 am. Four and a half hours until she had to go to the speakeasy. Too many hours to contemplate life-changing decisions. Waverly needed to get out of her own head and decided to leave her apartment to walk around town. From what she was told, Purgatorians loved Christmas time and by December first the town looked more like Santa’s village than anything else. She was curious to know if that statement was true or not.

As Waverly walked down Main Street, she marveled at the people putting up Christmas lights and decorations along the buildings. Everyone helped each other without so much of a fuss and had megawatt smiles on their faces. Waverly had always known what the true meaning of Christmas was but seeing it was a sight to behold. She had always lived in the city with her family and nothing compared to Purgatory. Watching the whole scene unfold made her wish that she had lived in a small town. Would it be like Purgatory during the holidays or were the people here just that generous? The question made Waverly think about the offer and wondered if Nicole was the same as the rest of the folks in town.

Just as Waverly was about to cross the street someone further down called out to her. She looked over to see who it was; she smiled and hurried over to him. “Robin, so good to see you.” She gave him a warm hug.

“Same to you,” Robin replied. “Haven’t seen you for two weeks. Miss seeing your face.”

“What have you been up too since you stopped working at the diner?”

“Come on, I’ll show you.” Robin grabbed her hand and pulled Waverly towards a store that had guitars behind the window. “My grandfather, who lives in the states, retired and moved here to Purgatory.”

“That’s wonderful news, Robin! I know how close you are to him.”

“Yea, it’s great having him here. But uh, he owned a music store and since he retired, he needed someone to continue on with business. I told him a while back that if it was possible to relocate the store, I’d love to have it. So here I am.” Robin opened the door and allowed Waverly to walk in.

Waverly’s eyes widened in awe as she looked at all the various instruments placed throughout the room. “You own everything in here now?” Robin nodded his head. “This place officially became my favorite store. You mind if I look around, I’d love to be your first customer if it’s possible.”

“I thought you might say that. There’s something I have for you in the back that I know you’ll love.”

Robin excused himself and left Waverly to her own demise. She walked up to the acoustic guitars hanging on the wall and strummed a few cords. Two of them needed tuning but to anyone who knew how to play, would know how to do so.

“Here you go.” Waverly turned around to see Robin holding a Taylor Grand Auditorium Acoustic-Electric Guitar with a shaded edge burst. “I saw this on the truck and immediately thought of you. It’s the only one I have until I can order a few more.”

She could feel her eyes brim with unshed tears. It was the guitar she had been telling Robin about and was thinking of buying one. Learning that his grandfather had it and now Robin was a dream come true. The color she saw online matched what Waverly was seeing now, and she fell in love with the guitar even more. “It’s beautiful, Robin. Thank you.” Waverly took the guitar from him and held it against her. She strummed the cords and tuned it to how she liked it. “Do you mind if I-”

“Please do. I haven’t heard you play since your first night here in Purgatory. So by all means, play to your heart's content. I’ll just be roaming around setting up Christmas decorations, and no I’m all set on help. You playing will help keep me focused.”

Waverly blushed when Robin declined her offer to help before she could even say anything. They had become fast friends since she had moved to Purgatory and was grateful to have him in her life. “Okay, but the offer still stands. If you need any help, let me know, and I’ll be more than happy to lend a hand. Just know that I have to be at the speakeasy by four.” Robin smiled and grabbed Waverly a chair to sit in before walking away and doing his own thing.

It took a few minutes for Waverly to get situated and have the right sound, but before Robin could complain about not hearing any music, she started to play then began singing.

_I see you down, I see you sad_

_I see the tears your holding back_

_A new story begins where an old one ends_

_Believe me baby, you will love again_

_Let me lift your spirit up_

_Let me lift your spirit up_

_Let me lift your spirit up tonight_

Robin smiled as he heard the angelic voice carry throughout the store. He had heard through the grapevine that Nicole Haught had offered Waverly a deal of a lifetime. Deep down, though he didn’t know Waverly well, he knew that big crowds gave her bad anxiety, and she hated being in the spotlight like every well-known singer was. Waverly was a private person from what he could tell, if by her avoiding the subject of why she was in Purgatory was any sign to go by. He went back to what he was doing and smirked when he caught sight of a certain redhead.

Slipping out the door, Robin caught Nicole’s arm and placed a finger over his lips. She tilted her head, trying to figure out what he was trying to tell her until she looked into the store and saw the woman she had been daydreaming about playing the guitar. The two of them tip-toed through the door and were greeted with Waverly’s voice continuing to echo around the room.

_Then here I am_

Nicole beamed and leaned against the counter, just out of Waverly’s sight. She loved hearing Waverly sing and was at the speakeasy every night just to listen to her. Since she had offered Waverly a record deal, Nicole had respectfully left her to think about it. During the past weeks, Nicole had done her best to ignore the feeling that Waverly might not agree to it. She believed in Waverly knowing she knew nothing about the women but hoped that would change while working with her. Nicole wanted to make the offer again but didn’t want to overwhelm the singer either. Truthfully, Nicole just wanted to get to know Waverly better, more than anything.

_Let me lift your spirit up_

_Let me lift your spirit up_

_Let me lift your spirit up tonight_

_Let me lift your spirit, Let me see you smile_

_If you don’t feel near it, I’ll carry you awhile_

_Let me lift your spirit, Way up to the sky_

_If there’s a cloud, I’ll clear it_

_Breaks my heart to see you cry_

As the song ended, Nicole reframed from clapping. Robin not so much. He clapped excitedly, breaking the silence that had fallen when the last cord strung out. Waverly whipped her head up at the sound, not expecting her friend to applaud for her but when her eyes landed on someone other than Robin, she blushed furiously.

Nicole couldn’t help but grin at Waverly's reaction to her being there.

“I’ve never heard that song before.” Robin voiced what Nicole thought.

Waverly’s face became a darker shade of red. “That’s uh... because I wrote it.”

“Beautiful, talented, and can write your own songs. You truly are the whole package.” Nicole complimented. “You should sing your songs at Shorty’s versus doing cover songs.”

Robin agreed with Nicole. “She’s right, Wave. Cover songs are great to hear, but listening to someone sing an original is even better.”

“I rarely allow people to hear my songs. I enjoy keeping them to myself.” Waverly countered.

“But you sang that with me around.” Robin pointed out.

“Yes, but that’s different.”

“How?” Robin wondered.

“Because I’m comfortable around you and I know you won't judge me.”

“And you think I will?” Nicole questioned.

Waverly saw Nicole’s smile fall and felt bad for saying what she did but it was the truth. She was scared to sing her songs because she knew how it felt to be judged for what she wrote. “One: I don’t know you, Nicole. Two: I don’t know your song preference or anything about you for that matter. And three: How am I supposed to know if you're judgmental or not?”

“Could ask my opinion about the song, but considering I’m a music producer and have offered to record your music, chances are I’ll love the songs you write too.” Nicole defended herself.

Without either of them noticing, Robin had left to the back room, leaving the two to talk. He desperately hoped Waverly would finally take Nicole’s offer.

“I just don’t know if I can’t do that. I bet there are people in this town who have a better voice than me. Why not offer them the deal of a lifetime?”

Nicole sighed and took two small steps towards Waverly. “Because I haven’t heard them sing.” Nicole lied. She heard plenty of folks sing and none of them were the right fit for her.

“Can’t offer them anything if they don’t share their talent with anyone else.” It was the truth. The people who wanted to record a song never once sang publically before. “You do, Waverly. You go by Angel at Shorty’s Speakeasy. The folks in town go there every night just to hear you sing. You have a gift and should share that with the rest of the country. Hell, the world even. You’d be surprised how many would fall in love with your voice.” _Like I have_ , Nicole thought but didn’t dare to say out loud.

Nicole could tell Waverly was deep in thought. She hoped she hadn’t overstepped and felt herself biting the inside of her lower lip. Her heart started to beat a little faster in fear that Waverly might snap at her. Nicole wouldn’t have blamed her though. She was a stranger trying to convince Waverly that she had a talent that she herself didn’t believe she had. It made Nicole wonder if anyone ever encouraged her to pursue singing as a career or just ignored her for having such talent. Whatever the case was, it damaged Waverly to the point that she was insecure about having a bunch of people hear her sing all at once.

After a few attempts of Waverly trying to speak, Nicole took another small step forward and gave her a small smile. “Look, I won’t force you to do something you don’t want to do or ask you to be someone you’re not. I just want you to know that you have the opportunity to record a few songs or even an album if you wish too. There’s no pressure. Do what makes you most comfortable.” Nicole waited a moment to see if Waverly would say anything and when the brunette didn’t, she headed for the door.

“Why do you have so much faith in me?” Waverly called out. She wanted to know what Nicole saw in her and why it was so important for the music producer to record songs with her.

“My job is to seek out those with talent that others wished they had,” Nicole answered honestly. She thought for a moment before locking eyes with Waverly. “Besides, when the angel sings, everyone stops and listens.”

A small grin tugged at Waverly’s lips as the words washed over her. Nicole was right. She hated to admit that, but it was true. For years different people tried to convince her that singing wasn’t worth it or her voice wasn’t good enough. Despite the applause from different venues and pubs or bars, those little voices in her head told her that her ‘friends’ were telling the truth. That she wasn’t meant to sing her heart out and yet that was all Waverly wanted to do. She just needed to face the fear of bigger crowds. Waverly jumped up from her seat, still holding the guitar to her chest. She couldn’t believe what she was about to do.

  
  
  
  


**24 Days until Christmas:**

  
  


The next day Nicole opened the studio a little earlier than usual. Waverly wanted an early start but also wanted Nicole to go over the contract and have a tour of the studio itself. She understood Waverly’s apprehension about signing anything without going over it thoroughly. Nicole had the feeling Waverly was the type of person to make sure there weren’t any gimmicks or flaws that could potentially upset her in the end. Nicole was the same way. Reading the fine print was important, and she refused to be made a fool for not doing so.

Just as she was setting up her laptop, Nicole heard the door to the studio close. She looked down at her watch and sure enough; it had only been five minutes since she opened. Before putting her attention to the person who walked in, Nicole opened up the documents she worked on. Different contracts that would suit both Waverly and herself. “Be right there!” She yelled out. Once all the word documents had opened, she lowered the screen a little and headed towards the small waiting room.

Nicole grinned when she saw Waverly standing in the room wearing a baby blue puffy jacket with snow boots that came up to her knees. The sight caused her breath to catch in her throat, an action that happened every time she saw the brunette. A wave of relief coursed through her; happy that Waverly didn’t back out last minute. She didn’t want to admit it, but past clients had done that to her without so much of an apology given. Unfortunately, it was all chalked up to fear and Nicole understood that.

The two of them went straight to business. They looked over each contract Nicole wrote up, fixing, adding or getting rid of anything that Waverly didn’t approve of. An hour later, the contract was being printed off and signed, both happy with what was being done. Next was the tour. Waverly had never been inside of a studio before and was curious how each knob worked.

When she walked into the control room, Waverly stopped short and could believe what she was seeing. There were four panels lined up with each other with two iMac’s not too far from them. Digital mixers, faders, analog mixers, Waverly lost track of how many times Nicole said mixer. Within a minutes Nicole’s voice fading out as she looked around the room and was in complete awe. She looked out the large glass windowpane and saw different instruments. She also noticed wood of different lengths sticking out from the wall.

“Why is there wood on the wall?” Waverly questioned.

Nicole chuckled. “It’s what I used to soundproof the room. The way it’s designed though, absorbs the sound, reflects it back and also diffuses sound in multiple different directions.”

“That is-”

“Pretty cool, huh?” Nicole smirked at Waverly’s awestruck expression. She was proud of what she had accomplished in the few years since she’d become a music producer. How hard she pushed herself to continue and remember the aspirations she always had.

“This whole place is incredible, Nicole. Did you start this all on your own?”

“I did. The greatest accomplishment I’ve ever had was opening this place. Now I just need to get too where I was a year after I opened; that is where you come in.” Nicole glanced at Waverly and gave her a half-crooked smile.

Waverly nodded once, accepting the answer. Then the realization took over and suddenly she became nervous. Nicole hadn’t mentioned that her business was failing, and that she was the key to bringing it back to the top competitors again. Just the thought of that made her feel pressured to do her very best and not be a complete failure. If Waverly failed, Nicole’s business would be done for and it would be all her fault. She took a step back and started gulping for air like a fish out of water. Waverly’s chest tightened and her heartbeat picked up. The room felt smaller and her clothes began to make her skin itch. She needed air, and she needed it fast.

The cold air against Waverly’s warm skin felt nice for all of ten-seconds but it calmed her nerves. She felt bad terrible for bolting out of the control room, leaving Nicole to wonder what had happened. Though what she didn’t realize was that Nicole was hot on her trail the moment she left in a flash. Waverly jumped when she felt a hand touch her shoulder and immediately calmed when she saw that it was Nicole beside her.

“I-I’m sorry.”

“No, no, don’t apologize. I shouldn’t have told you that. This is my fault.”

“I can’t do this!” Waverly said abruptly.

“Wha-” Nicole couldn’t even finish her sentence before Waverly took off down the street. “God damn it.” She huffed. How could she be so stupid? Telling Waverly about her financial issues and accidentally admitting that she was the sole person to fix that. It brought unnecessary pressure onto Waverly and made her bolt faster than a speeding bullet.

Did Nicole just fuck up everything with Waverly before it could even get started?

  
  


**21 Days until Christmas:**

  
  


“You okay, kid?” Curtis asked as he wiped down the countertop. When Waverly gave him a half-assed shrug, he knew something was up. “You know, everyone have been asking me when you’ll sing again. Been wondering why you stopped suddenly.”

“Don’t feel like singing right now, Curtis,” Waverly spoke from her spot at the counter, her head buried on top of her arms. Curtis had to strain his ear to hear her.

“The last time you performed was three days ago. Want to tell me what’s going on and why you’re in such a bah humbug mood?” 

“Not really, no.” Waverly lifted her head and stared at Curtis. His eyebrows furrowed and his eyes shone with concern. “I’m sorry. Just a lot going on.” She got up and started walking towards the staircase to her apartment.

“Does this have anything to do with Nicole Haught and the offer she made you?”

_Does everybody in this town know about that_ , Waverly mumbled to herself. “No, it doesn’t, and if you’re wondering, I’m not doing it. I can’t be what she thinks I am. The talent she sees in me, I don’t see in myself. I’m not as great as everyone thinks I am.”

“We all have insecurities and fears, Waverly. In order to get rid of them, we have to face them head-on. It’s the only way to overcome them.”

“He’s right, you know!” Gus came out from the kitchen and stood next to Waverly. “I’ve watched you mope around this place for the past three days now. Today you are going back to the studio and making a song record with Nicole. Everyone in this damn town knows you deserve it, and you’ve only been here a short time.”

Waverly went to speak but Gus glared at her, daring her to argue back. She looked over Gus’s shoulder and saw Curtis shaking his head and making a face that said, ‘You’ll lose for sure.’ “Fine,” Waverly grumbled. She picked her jacket up from the chair and slipped it on; the same jacket that she had left behind at the studio.

Nicole had brought the jacket back to the speakeasy the next day before Waverly had woken up. She had found a small note inside the pocket with the words ‘I’m sorry’ written on it. Waverly didn’t have to guess who it was from. She had seen Nicole’s hand-writing from the day before and remembered what it looked like. Why she remembered Nicole’s handwriting came as a surprise to her. She ignored the feeling she got every time Nicole came to mind and didn’t everything she could not think about her.

As Waverly headed down the sidewalk, she noticed the town had added a Christmas tree. It had to be about forty feet tall and by the looks of it; the lights strung around it. A golden star that most likely lit up sat on top. Kids had built a snowman around the base of the tree, and the church had set up the nativity scene nearby. Seeing it all should have brought Waverly a sense of happiness, but Curtis was right, she was in bah humbug mood.

Christmas was always Waverly’s favorite time of the year until she lost her family years ago. Both her parents died after the new year when the car hit black ice and slammed into a tree, killing both of them on impact. Waverly’s oldest sister Willa couldn’t handle the pain of losing them and left to God knows where. Wynonna took off to Greece and never looked back, leaving Waverly to fend for herself at the young at of sixteen. If it wasn’t for her best friend Chrissy and her father, Sheriff Nedley, taking her in, Waverly would have ended up homeless and might have done something stupid.

After that year Waverly had a hard time celebrating Christmas. Chrissy did her best to make the holiday special despite the terrible events that took place. All she wanted was for her friend to have that spark back that she once had. It wasn’t until Chrissy mentioned singing for the church one year, that had brought Waverly out of her emotionless stupor. Sadly, it didn’t last long. When the church gave Waverly a solo, Stephanie Jones became jealous and did all she could to embarrass her the night of the performance. When Stephanie succeeded, Waverly avoided singing out in public for a while.

Once Waverly had moved away from the city and started working for a small-town pub, much like Purgatory’s, she debated on performing at an open mic night. Through Chrissy’s encouragement and helping to calm her nerves, she took the chance and couldn’t believe the reaction she got. Chrissy tagged along, being Waverly’s personal cheerleader to help with her anxiety until she got the news that the sheriff was shot in the shoulder during a raid and had to go back home to take care of him. Waverly understood and continued her journey of traveling around Canada and bits of the states until she ended up in Purgatory.

Waverly’s original plan was to stay for a few weeks, make enough money to last for a little while and then leave. Getting an apartment and working full time at the speakeasy wasn’t the plan, but that’s what ended up happening, anyway. Waverly had been bar hopping for far too long and maybe it was time to settle down and plant some roots in a quiet town like Purgatory?

She was so caught up in her memories that Waverly didn’t realize she had made it to the recording studio. Did she really want to do this? Was she ready to have that much pressure be put upon her? Did Nicole even want her back after leaving the way she did? _Only one way to find out_ , Waverly thought. She took a deep breath, opened the door, and walked inside. Part of Waverly expected Nicole to be sitting at the front desk in the waiting area but was taken by surprise to hear a piano being played instead. Had Nicole found someone else?

Quietly, Waverly made her way to the back and found Nicole in the live room, sitting behind the piano. The door was opened wide allowing the music to echo throughout the business. Waverly stood inside the control room and watched Nicole play, effortlessly. She didn’t recognize the song being played and wondered if Nicole had written it herself or just a song she didn’t know.

A minute had passed when Waverly could feel the telltale sign of a sneeze coming on. She tried her hardest to stop it but failed miserably. Her sneeze echoed in the room and was loud enough to catch Nicole’s attention. “Waverly?” Her voice sounded muffled against the sound-proofed room. She got up from behind the piano and joined Waverly in the control room.

“I didn’t think I’d see you back here.”

“I’ll be honest with you, neither did I, but in the spirit of Christmas, and for my own sanity, let’s just take this one day at a time.”

Nicole raised an eyebrow in suspicion. “Gus, kicked you out of the pub didn’t she?”

“Yup!” Waverly popped the P at the end. “And now I’m here, so you can thank her for that.”

“Waverly,” Nicole started but Waverly interrupted her.

“Wait, before you say anything, just let me say this.” Nicole nodded. “In the past three days, I have been miserable because I backed out on you. I made a deal with you and I walked away like a coward. I’ve never done very well being put under pressure and truthfully, it terrifies me. Your offer is a once in a lifetime opportunity that thousands of people wished to get and you picked me. Nicole, I still don’t see what you see in me but I’m willing to give this a chance if your offer still stands.”

Nicole beamed. “Of course it does and to make this easier, the contract is now in-void. I don’t want you feeling like you have to do this on my account, okay? This is about you and you only.”

“You know you don’t have to do that, right? Having the contract is fine with me.”

“Yes, but your well-being is my main concern while pursuing this. I refuse to be selfish, especially around Christmas when it’s all about giving and sharing.”

Waverly couldn’t help but agree with Nicole’s logic. “So where should we start?”

“I’ll be honest. I was hoping you wouldn’t mind if we recorded that song you played the other day at the music shop.”

“Lift your spirit up?” Waverly wondered.

“It’s a beautiful, inspirational song. I’d love to record it and be able to hear the entire song instead of just the ending.” Nicole smirked when she saw a blush form on Waverly’s face. “I can add background music as well if you’d like?”

“Sure.” Waverly agreed, a little too quickly.

“Okay. Great. Let me take your coat and then you can head in there, grab whichever instrument you feel most comfortable with. Remember, there is a red light that I’ll flicker on and off indicating that you are all set to begin. Like I mentioned the other day, it will stay on during the duration of the recording.” Watching Nicole go into work mode made Waverly feel something in the pit of her stomach, that she wasn’t quite sure about. She assumed it was her nerves acting up and nothing to do with seeing the music producer take charge and making her knees feel weak.

“Waverly, are you alright? I can reign in-”

“No, um- yea, I’m fine. I hardly know you but I can tell that this,” Waverly circled her finger, gesturing to the studio. “Suits you. It’s your calling.”

“I like to think so.” Nicole agreed. She walked up behind the singer and helped her take off her jacket; hanging it up on a hook by the door.

“Um, before we start,” Nicole rubbed the back of her neck, praying she didn’t sound as nervous as she felt. “If you're not working tonight, would you like to have dinner with me? As a thank you for agreeing to my offer. Recording a song takes all day and you can decline. It won’t hurt my feelings any.” She rambled. Nicole would have facepalmed herself for being such a mess if Waverly was still standing in front of her.

_Do I have butterflies in my stomach_ , Waverly wondered. Nicole was asking her out, well sort of. Dinner as colleagues was more appropriate than referring to it as a date. _But would I have minded that it was a date?_ _Wait, what?_ The thought made Waverly practically do a double-take. She didn’t know Nicole, and she was straight. At least that’s what she kept telling herself. Waverly accepted the dinner offer and was giddy at being able to spend more time with Nicole outside of the recording studio.

Maybe this Christmas won’t be so bad after all?

  
  
  
  


**14 Days Until Christmas:**

  
  


For the next week, Waverly and Nicole fell into a pattern. Meeting up at the studio, working until the singer had to leave for the speakeasy and then having dinner together during Waverly’s break. Gus, Curtis, and Shorty all noticed how the two of them were always in their own little world when they were together. No one had ever seen Nicole so happy before and everyone knew it had nothing to do with Waverly working with her and everything to do with the woman herself.

Waverly brought out the Nicole that she used to be before Shae upped and dropped her like a sack of potatoes. Nicole had rarely been on any dates since Shae or even looked at a girl the same way she did Waverly. Now that they thought about it, the music producer never looked at Shae like she held the whole universe in the palm of her hands. There was always a twinkle in her eyes whenever the singer was around or someone mentioned Waverly’s name to Nicole. It was clear as day that Nicole had fallen for Waverly in the short time they had been working together.

Deciphering Waverly was a simple as counting to ten. The girl was an open book no matter how much she kept her past to herself. A small smile would form on her face if Gus or Curtis asked her about how the recording session with Nicole went. Even the first night they had dinner together, the couple couldn’t get Waverly to stop talking for two minutes. One thing everyone noticed though, was when Waverly took the stage, her eyes would lock on Nicole and look nowhere else until her set was over.

Shorty would hear Nicole applaud louder than anyone else in the room and always saw her have a dimpled smile on her face. He once heard her say to Waverly, ‘I told you people listen to Angels sing,’ and Waverly turned beet red before she focused on getting back to work. Shorty wasn’t sure what the statement meant, but seeing Waverly’s reaction was worth not knowing the inside joke. There was a spark between them that neither of them realized or possibly even ignored it.

Speaking of the devils, the pair walked through the double doors of the speakeasy laughing and leaning into one another.

“Oh, Shorty, hi!” Waverly self consciously moved away from Nicole, instantly missing her warmth. “Need any help opening the pub for the lunch rush?” She offered.

“No, I’m all set here, kiddo. Gus and Curtis just went down into the cellar for a few coolers. Won’t need any help until happy hour. Aren’t you two supposed to be at the studio?”

“Decided she needed a break.” Nicole chimed in; helping Waverly take off her coat then her own. “Been there all week Shorty, Waverly here will get laryngitis and then I’ll be the most hated person in town.”

“Oh, you hush your mouth.” Waverly playfully scolded. It wasn’t even Nicole’s idea to take the day off, anyway. “I need to do some Christmas shopping and asked Nicole if she could help me. I’ve never been to the big city, and I’d rather not get lost.”

“You’ve been around me all week.” Nicole started. “One would think you’d get tired of seeing my face.”

_I could never be tired of seeing your beautiful face_ , Waverly thought but didn’t dare to say. “If I didn’t want to be around you, I wouldn’t have asked you for your help.”

“If you know what’s best for ya, Nicole, I wouldn’t argue with her!” Shorty gave Nicole a pointed look and she nodded in understanding.

“Okay, fine.” Nicole relented. “You have a point. Now go get your wallet before Shorty changes his mind.” She lightly pushed Waverly towards the stairs and laughed when the singer tripped on the first step. “You good?” Nicole teased her.

“Yup!” Waverly squeaked out and made her way up the stairs, her face flushed with embarrassment.

Nicole shook her head. Waverly was something else, a good something. A pang of hurt coursed through as she remembered that they were just friends and nothing more. Oh, how she wanted that to change. Sometimes Nicole would fantasize about kissing Waverly. Imagining how soft her lips would be against hers or to taste what flavor chapstick she used. It would never happen as they were just friends, and that’s what she and Waverly would ever be.

How could someone like Waverly ever like someone like her? Despite being a ‘famous’ music producer, she had very little money to her name. She had enough cash to last her another few years until she was broke and would have to seek another way to make cash. The idea ran a shiver down her spine. Nicole really hoped Waverly would be the one to bring her business back to the way it was before.

She was so lost in thought that Nicole didn’t hear Gus or Curtis come back up. The older couple went to say something to her but Shorty coughed, grabbing their attention. The two caught on and left Nicole to her thoughts, seeing that she wasn’t noticing anything happening around her. Soon, they heard Waverly come down and her saying Nicole’s name twice. All three of them left to the kitchen, giving the two women some space.

Waverly frowned when Nicole didn’t respond. She followed Nicole’s line of sight and noticed that Nicole was staring at the bottom step. “Nicole.” She whispered. Again, Nicole didn’t respond. Waverly stepped into her personal space and cupped the side of her face with her right hand. “Hey, you with me?”

Nicole blinked and was startled by how close Waverly was. She breathed out a shaky breath and without realizing it, she instinctively leaned into Waverly’s hand. Enjoying the intimate moment and the warmth of her skin upon her own. “Where d'you go?” She heard Waverly whisper.

“I’m right here,” Nicole spoke just as soft, afraid she’d break the bubble they had created. “Just thinking is all.”

Waverly brought her hand down. “About what?”

_You._ Nicole wanted to say but decided not too. “Nothing important.” She lied.

With a slight nod, Waverly accepted the answer and went about putting on her coat. She knew Nicole was lying but wouldn’t push her to talk about whatever was bothering her. If Nicole wanted her to know, she’d tell her when she was ready. Deep down, Waverly hoped Nicole’s thoughts were about her. It was a ridiculous thing to wish for and yet she wanted it to be true.

The Jeep was filled with laughter and singing. Waverly had turned on the only station that played Christmas music for the entire month of December. At one point, she remembered the song that Nicole played on the piano, the melody over and over in her head. She wasn’t sure if Nicole had lyrics for the song but that didn’t stop her brain from creating her own.

Every word, metaphor, and title Waverly came up with didn’t feel right. A beautifully composed song deserved to have lyrics that had meaning behind them. Then she thought about the time of year. A Christmas song. No, that didn’t feel right either. It wasn’t until she parked her Jeep in front of a store and looked over at Nicole that she knew what the song would be.

Nicole scrolled through whatever app she was on, and Waverly couldn’t help but notice how she was at that moment. Her red hair falling around her face, cheeks flushed from the hot air blowing in her direction. The snowy sidewalk behind her making fiery red locks look brighter. _I could stay here forever_ , Waverly thought and then it hit her. She logged that simple idea away for now with another one to make sure she wrote it down on paper. She could work with that. Now that she had a sentence, her brain began working overtime.

“I can see steam coming out of your ears.” Nicole joked.

“Shut up.” The singer fired back. “I was just thinking about something... I’m not sure how you’ll feel about it but I was wondering about the song you were playing on the piano when I came in last week. Did-”

“Did I write it?” Waverly nodded. “Yes. I can compose music all day long, yet I can’t write a single lyric to save my soul.” It wasn't a complete lie. Nicole attempted to write song lyrics all the time, but the words she wrote were never good enough. “What do you-” She stopped and thought for a moment. “You want to write lyrics for it, don’t you?”

“I think with you composing music and me writing lyrics, we could make one hell of a team. Don’t you think? I mean, you don’t have too if you don’t want to. Though I was wondering if you could perform with me one night... after I finish writing the lyrics?” Waverly shyly asked.

“Performing has never been my forte, but for you, I think I can grab the bull by the horns and face my fears for one night.”

“You know, you and Curtis are oddly similar. He didn’t use that exact metaphor, but it was him and Gus’s words of wisdom that had me coming back to the studio.” Waverly admitted.

Nicole wondered if when Waverly came back, that it was more than just Gus shoving her out the door and forcing her to record a song. It wasn’t Gus’s style, anyway. To know that she and Curtis were trying to point Waverly in the right direction brought a smile to her face. The McCready’s were always good at reading people and Waverly was no different. They saw the same fire in Waverly’s eyes that Nicole did and wanted the best for her.

“They recognize talent when they see it.” Nicole taunted her, earning her a smack on the arm.

“Will you stop teasing me about that?” Waverly laughed. “I’m still trying to accept that I have more talent than I give myself credit for.” She unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the Jeep. “It’s not like I got much encouragement when I was younger,” Waverly mumbled under her breath.

Waverly closed the door and turned around, jumping when Nicole was already standing in front of her Jeep. “Jesus, you scared me. Didn’t even hear you close the door.” She ignored Nicole’s sad eyes and started walking towards the store.

“So what are we shopping for?” Nicole asked when she got in step with Waverly and opened the door to the store they were heading into.

“Something for Gus, Curtis, and Shorty. A thank you gift for letting me rent the apartment above the speakeasy.” And you for, well, being you, Waverly didn’t dare say out loud.

The Christmas gift Waverly had in mind for Nicole was a different song she planned to write and knew when she wanted to perform it. Presents for the three people who helped her the most since arriving at Purgatory would be a little harder than she had hoped. A point that was proven three hours, five stores later and a multitude of bags that all but one belonged to Waverly. Nicole had poked fun at the number of gifts Waverly bought for herself and not for the people the shopping spree was for.

They ate lunch at a small diner, talking about anything and everything that came to mind. Laughing, flirting, and moving closer to one another. A small comment about family was made and had Waverly on the edge of tears. Nicole felt like an ass for accidentally upsetting her. The singer opened up about her past and how Christmas was beginning to mean more to her. She didn’t want to live in a constant state of misery and knew her sisters, wherever they were, wouldn’t want her too either.

This Christmas would be different. Waverly would put herself first and not let anyone get in her way. Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, and she would celebrate it properly for the first time since her parents died. If only Waverly could spend the holidays with her sisters; Would it either make a world of difference on her happiness or make her remember that Willa and Wynonna walked out on her? Honestly, all she wanted was to know that her sisters were doing okay and that she missed them terribly.

From that moment on, Nicole did everything she could to keep Waverly smiling. Accidentally falling into a pile of snow and shrieking when it went down her pants was not a part of her plan but it worked. Waverly teased her relentlessly for the rest of the day and Nicole was perfectly okay with that, especially if it made Waverly laugh every time.

During the drive back, Jeep filled with bags of goodies, Waverly listened to Nicole sing along to Christmas songs; a smile never leaving her face. She looked out the driver's side window for a moment and saw deer prints in the snow. Seeing the small prints sparked an idea in her mind. Waverly glanced back one more time before focusing back on the road. Deer prints in the snow...

“What?”

“What?” Had Waverly spoken out loud without realizing it?

“You said something about deer prints.” A small smile formed, her dimples on full display. Nicole looked like a kid who got the toy they asked for, for their birthday.

Waverly blushed knowing she got caught basically talking to herself. “Uh yeah, just thinking of lyrics.”

“Ah, well if you want my input, maybe try footprints in the snow instead.”

Waverly snorted. “And you say you can’t write songs. Ya liar!”

“Hey, I have my moments,” Nicole said a little too quickly. The two smiled at one another until Waverly brought her eyes back to the road.

Waverly stole a quick look at Nicole and thought about the day she had. She couldn’t remember the last time she had smiled so much and had it be genuine. Nicole made her feel like she was the only girl in the world and couldn’t believe she had met someone like her. All it took was a week for Waverly to realize that she definitely wasn’t straight and had a crush on Nicole. The simple touches, quick glances, and small smiles to go with it always had her stomach fluttering. She wondered if Nicole felt the same.

_Last Christmas I gave you my heart_

_But the very next day you gave it away_

_This year, to save me from tears_

_I’ll give it to someone special_

_How could one song have so much meaning?_ Nicole wondered. She saw Waverly blushing and thought it was the most beautiful sight in the world. The song continued to play and Nicole kept her eyes on Waverly the whole time. Before long, she started singing along and watched as the singer’s face became redder by the minute.

_A face on a lover with a fire in his heart_

_A man undercover but you tore me apart_

_Now, I’ve found a real love you’ll never fool me again_

As the chorus played again, Nicole did everything she could, to not grab ahold of Waverly’s hand and bring it up to her lips. She didn’t want to cross any lines and have Waverly shut her down. _You’re not my type_. Waverly’s words from when they first met played over and over in Nicole’s head. The words still stung every time she thought about them. Waverly was straight, she reminded herself again.

Nicole bit her lip as the song ended and continued to stare at Waverly. Her face was still beet red, breathing had picked up some, and Nicole could tell she was fighting to keep her eyes on the road. Maybe Waverly wasn’t so straight after all and actually had a chance with her. _Guess I'll have to find out_ , she thought. Nicole placed her hand on the center console, inches away from where Waverly had her right hand sitting. A few songs played, being the only sound that filled the space between. Both Nicole’s and Waverly’s breath hitched when they both moved their pinkies closer and brushed up against each other. Nicole stared out the window as she brought her pinky up and wrapped around Waverly’s. She glanced over and saw the grin on the singer's face and knew she made the right decision.

By the time they parked in front of Shorty’s Speakeasy, their hands intertwined, with smiles on each of their faces.

  
  
  


**3 Days until Christmas:**

  
  


Nicole walked out of the studio, locking up for the night. “Brr.” She shivered. “Ain’t even winter yet, and yet you can feel it in the air.”

Waverly, who was standing off to the side, chuckled. “Aren’t you supposed to be Haught-blooded?” She joked.

“Har har.” Nicole stuck her tongue out at her. “You want to check it and see.”

The brunette giggled and walked up to Nicole, slipping her glove off and pressing the back of her hand to Nicole’s forehead. “Oh no, I was afraid of this.”

“And what’s that?” Nicole smirked, knowing exactly where this conversation was going.

“You have a fever of 103,” Waverly said with a straight face before bursting out laughing.

Christmas was days away now, and the two had become inseparable. Their ‘relationship’ had increased a little since their shopping spree to the Big City. They never went beyond a chaste kiss to the cheek, even though they both wanted it too. Waverly steadily worked on the song for Nicole plus a surprise gift that she hoped the redhead would like.

They began walking towards the speakeasy, a late-night shift Waverly offered to do. Many of the patrons were demanding her to sing because she was so busy recording music with Nicole. The drunks were rowdy without their angel singing to calm them down, though Gus, Curtis, and Shorty kicked them out when they got out of hand. Waverly was always grateful for them whenever customers got too much of a nuisance.

Halfway to the speakeasy, Waverly abruptly stopped, accidentally making Nicole jolt back some because of holding her hand. Nicole looked at her suspiciously, trying to figure out what was going on. She looked to see if there was anyone around that might have caused Waverly to stop like she did but it was just the two of them on the sidewalk. When she glanced back to Waverly, she still had a look that she was unfamiliar with.

“Nicole, my songbook is in the studio, right?”

“Uh,” Nicole’s mind raced over every location that Waverly had set that book down in that day. “I believe so. If it’s not in your purse, then yea it’s in my office. Why, do you need it?”

“Yes- you know how I’ve been struggling with the chorus and title for the song?” Nicole nodded. “I just figured it out all thanks you.” Waverly got up on her tippy toes and kissed Nicole’s cheek then started pulling back in the direction they came from. “So come on now. We need to grab my book before I forget it or you’ll never hear the end of it if I do.” Waverly warned.

The snow crunched from under their boot covered feet. Nicole, as smooth as she was, slipped on a bit of ice and saved herself from falling. Waverly wasn’t so lucky. She stepped on the ice and went crashing down, accidentally bringing Nicole down on top of her. Nicole brought her hands out, catching herself before landing on top Waverly. She felt her knee press into the sidewalk and her thigh between Waverly’s legs. A blush instantly bloomed across her face and was thankful that she could blame the cold air.

Their noses were inches apart, breathes mingling together. Waverly wanted to surge forward and kiss Nicole until they were both breathless but the cold concrete had somehow seeped through her jacket and was making her shiver. Nicole made sure Waverly was okay before attempting to get up. It upset her that they were so close to kissing for the first time and she didn’t try. Her blush darkened when her leg brushed up against the apex of Waverly’s thighs and heard the singer stifle a moan. Once Nicole got to her feet, she reached down and grabbed both of Waverly’s hands and pulled her up. She glanced up and down Waverly’s body once, making sure she was okay before locking eyes with her.

Nicole brushes her hands together, wiping away any snow that lingered then cupped Waverly’s cheeks. “You okay?” She whispered.

“I’m fine. My butt broke the fall.”

Nicole smiled, her dimples popping. “Hope you didn’t crack it.”

Waverly bit her lip, trying desperately not to laugh at Nicole’s attempt to joke. “That was terrible.”

“But it made you smile, and that’s all that matters to me. Now, no more falling on the ice, my knee can’t handle it.” Nicole winced a little as she started walking.

“Nicole, you’re hurt.”

“I’ll be okay, I promise.”

Waverly wrapped her arm around Nicole's waist and helped her the rest of the way to the studio. She snuck her hand into the redhead's jacket and took the keys, fumbling to find the right one. Waverly felt Nicole’s gloved covered hand over hers and saw her point to the correct key. She nodded, more to herself than Nicole as she unlocked the door and held it open for Nicole. The music producer sat in one of the waiting chairs and propped her leg up on another. The pain wasn’t so bad anymore since she forced herself to walk on it. She could feel Waverly staring at her and looked up. Waverly's eyes shone with concern and she worried her bottom lip. Nicole promised her she was okay and would find by the time Waverly got back with her songbook.

A few minutes later, Waverly walked back into the waiting room, a sheepish look on her face. She announced that she didn’t have to go to work, and could help get Nicole home instead. Nicole had the feeling Waverly called Gus and asked for the night off. As much as Nicole loved the sentiment she couldn’t keep Waverly from her job. Though Waverly had other ideas. She took off her jacket, laid it on the floor and sat down on top of it. The brunette grabbed her songbook and opened it across her lap, jotting down a few words.

Nicole was beyond confused and knew right away Waverly would not take no for an answer. The singer was just as stubborn as she was and with her knee still slighting hurting, Nicole really didn’t have room to argue or the sense to get up and leave. She got to spend more time with Waverly and anyone with half a brain wouldn’t complain about that. So Nicole kept her mouth shut and only spoke when Waverly asked for her input.

After a half-hour of uncomfortable sitting, they ended up in the control room. Nicole turned on her iMac and opened up PreSonus Studio One program she used to keep track of everything she recorded. She scrolled through the different tracks and attempts she and Waverly did over the few weeks and finally came across the track the singer recorded of her playing the piano.

Waverly nodded her head and began tapping her foot on the floor when the music flowed from the speakers and filled the space between them. Nicole watched in awe as Waverly started to sing along with the piano and but stopped when she would hit the chorus. Waverly would hum and look everywhere around the room as if she would find the answer she was looking for. When her eyes fell on Nicole, her face softened, her eyes filled with love and breath hitching.

The chorus was the hardest part but when Waverly looked at Nicole; she remembered the line she filed away a few weeks ago. *I could stay here forever. She tore her focus away from the music producer and scribbled on the notepad; the lyrics pouring down on paper.

Waverly wrote two small notes then closed her book, a grin across her face. “It’s finished.” She said with astonishment.

“Do I get to hear the rest or am I going to wait until our performance on Christmas Day?” Nicole teased.

“I would be nice and restart the song, but for that comment, you must wait now.”

“Me and my big mouth,” Nicole mumbled. She heard Waverly giggle and stood up from her chair, blocking the singer from leaving and started tickling her.

Waverly’s laughter filled the room, and it was music to Nicole’s ears. Nothing could compare to the sound of Waverly’s angelic voice and Nicole would be fine if it was the last sound she ever heard. Waverly squirmed under the redhead's touch and gave back just as good as she got. They tripped over the chair Waverly refused to sit in and fell to the floor, giggling as they went down.

Nicole wrapped her arms protectively around Waverly and felt her back slam against the floor; the singer lying on top of her. The weight of Waverly on her chest was comforting and she couldn’t help but notice how well they fit together, like two pieces of a puzzle. Their laughter stopped when they noticed how close their faces were again. Nicole would not waste the opportunity. She stared into Waverly’s eye double-checking that she read the signs right and when she saw the slightly blown pupils, she slowly lifted her head. Her eyes slipped closed and just as her lips brushed against Waverly’s, the singer pulled back and got to her feet.

“It’s getting late!” Waverly pulled on her coat and put her earmuffs on. “I need to head back to my apartment. Thank you for today, Nicole. I really enjoy spending time with you.” And just like that Waverly vanished, the songbook in hand, leaving Nicole to her thoughts while still lying on the floor.

“Fudge nuggets!” Waverly leaned against the door to the studio. Nicole was about to kiss her and she left like a coward.

The number of times Waverly thought about what it would be like to kiss Nicole was ridiculously high. There were endless opportunities where they could have shared their first kiss but Waverly couldn’t get herself to do it. Kissing a guy was what she used too, and yet the second she thought about kissing Nicole she calmed up and wanted to hide in a bubble where no one could see her. She understood why she felt that way. They held hands, kissed each other’s cheek and hugged longer than what was deemed appropriate for being friends. We’re they technically dating already? Waverly knew they acted more like a couple in the past two weeks than as the ‘just friends’ they told everyone who asked about their behavior towards each other.

With a long sigh, Waverly pushed herself off the door and headed back towards Shorty’s. Snow had started falling, a flake hitting her nose, making it turn bright red from the cold. Winter was her favorite season, minus the freezing cold temperatures that went along with the time of year. There was just something about seeing a fresh blanket of snow on the ground, glistening in the morning sun, that brought her a kind of happiness that she couldn’t explain. If anyone asked, Waverly would simply say ‘a clean slate,’ and leave it at that; no other explanations to give.

_I am knocking, standing at your door_

_Somewhere new, I've never been before._

Waverly began to sing to distract herself. The song had been one she’d been writing since realizing her feelings for Nicole. 

_Take me in, and it feels like home_

_It's getting late, and I don't wanna go_

_Something simple in the way this feels_

_Our love is something pure and real_

Waverly spun around in the middle of the quiet street. Lights illuminating the snowy ground, and tuffs of snow being thrown in the air from Waverly’s boots. Not a single care in the world as she continued to sing to the melody in her head.

_It's getting late, and I have to leave_

_But tonight your memory, is holding me_

The mere thought of being in Nicole’s arms made Waverly’s heart skip a beat. Being pressed up against her and long arms around her waist always caused Waverly to be lightheaded. The way she’d lay her head on Nicole’s chest, breathing in that vanilla scent that had her craving vanilla dipped donuts. Nicole laying her chin atop of Waverly’s head, they fit together perfectly, and Waverly couldn’t deny that she always felt in Nicole’s arms. 

_I'm wide awake with you_

_All these feelings inside, keepin’ me up all night_

_All these feelings inside, I’m wide awake_

_All these feelings inside, keepin' me up all night_

_Pictures that cross my mind, they keepin’ me up all night_

_They keepin’ me up all night_

Nicole never intended to follow Waverly after she left abruptly, but making sure she got home safely was Nicole’s only concern. Turning away when Waverly began to sing should have been her first thought, but Nicole was in a trance. She smiled as Waverly pranced around the sidewalk and the middle of Main Street. The street lights shining above made Waverly look like an honest to god, angel, and if Nicole wasn’t already smitten, that would be the moment to change her mind.

_Feel my heart, and there's an answered prayer_

_Feel the magic in the midnight air_

_Breathe it in, I wanna pass it on_

_The strength of fighting somewhere you belong_

Doubt started to fill Nicole’s mind. Did Waverly already have a girlfriend or worst, a boyfriend in her life? Had she been toying with her heart this whole time? Was Nicole just her friend, and she read the signals all wrong? Nicole wasn’t sure what to think anymore. She stayed out of sight and leaned back against the brick wall, listening to the rest of Waverly’s song. One last thought came to mind. Did Waverly realize she was singing loud enough for anyone to hear or did she really think she was singing to herself?

_Hands so small but I am safe and sound_

_Where I stand feels like solid ground_

_No where else that I’d rather be_

_No greater gift than what you've given me_

Nicole hoped Waverly was singing about her though she would not keep her hopes up. Her insecurities got the better of her and she hated it.

_I'm wide awake with you_

_All these feelings inside, keepin’ me up all night_

_All these feelings inside, I’m wide awake_

Nicole nodded. She’d love to be a part of Waverly’s life more than just her friend, but would never pressure her into anything she never wanted. Nicole was gentlewomen after all.

_All these feelings inside, keepin' me up all night_

_Pictures that cross my mind, they keepin’ me up all night_

“Oh Wave, I agree. Only it’s a million dreams of you that are keeping me awake all night.” Nicole peeked around the corner when she didn’t hear Waverly’s voice anymore. The snowstorm had picked up since hiding in the shadows like a stalker. All the footprints had a thin new layer of snow covering them, but not enough to hide them. She knew by the design of the outsole which prints belonged to Waverly. Nicole chuckled when she noticed that the prints were far enough away to know Waverly skipped down the sidewalk. It was one of the things Nicole loved about her. The bubbly, carefree attitude, with a protective side to match. It was a beautiful sight to behold, and Nicole was grateful to witness it every day. She stepped out on the sidewalk, admiring the snow falling around her. Puffs of ‘smoke’ coming from her mouth as she breathed in the winter air.

_Winter in the air?_ Nicole remembered seeing Waverly write that at the top of the page in her songbook. Was that the title of the song she’d been working on? Nicole shrugged her shoulders and began trudging down the street towards her truck. Definitely not singing the song she heard Waverly singing moments before.

  
  
  


**Christmas Day:**

  
  


Today was the day. Waverly would perform with Nicole at the Speakeasy party tonight. Her nerves spiked whenever she thought about performing with the music producer but knew it would be okay. They had practiced over and over the last few days with, Waverly (purposely) not singing certain parts to the song. Nicole got annoyed by Waverly refusing to sing the entire song for her, yet she knew it would happen. It was her own doing after all.

An obnoxious sound echoed around the small bedroom. Waverly flipped onto her back, handing reaching out to find the offending item, waking her up too early for her liking. She finally hit the snooze button on her phone and placed it back on the night side. Her bones popped in certain places as she stretched out in bed. Waverly had sang well passed midnight and was exhausted. Having to wake up early in the morning was not ideal, but she had things to do. Waverly groaned, pulling the blankets up to her chin and grabbed her phone once more; almost dropping her cell on her face once remembering what day it actually was.

Waverly gasped then leaped out of bed, regretting the action when her feet met the cold floor. She crawled to the end of the bed, collecting the fuzzy unicorn pair of socks and slipping them on. They helped keep the chill from her feet while dancing around to Christmas music as she got dressed. Her goal was to look festive and stay warm at the same time. Waverly laid out a few different outfits and went with light-colored jeans, a white tank top, and a sweater that was red and white with hearts, snowflakes, and reindeer. She topped the outfit off with a Santa hat and scarf to match. Waverly yawned after slipping on her sweater. Coffee was required if she was going to stay awake and help set up for the party tonight.

The Christmas party was the biggest night of the year. Curtis had already set up the Christmas tree on the stage on December 1st, and throughout that first week, Gus, and Waverly were the ones to decorate the tree. They kept the actual decorations for the Speakeasy in boxes down in the cellar with the alcohol. In previous years, because of drunken fights, spilled beer, and a continuance of buying new decorations, Shorty held off on putting up anything festive until the day of the party.

The first thing Waverly saw when she walked out of her apartment was the garland wrapped around the hand-railing and banister. She reached out and gently brushed her hand over the spruce evergreen trims, small pine cones, and the warm white fairy lights that were a part of the ensemble. They accented the wood beautifully and magically made the staircase seem larger than usual.

“Morning Wave,” Waverly snapped her head up at the sound of Nicole’s voice.

Waverly continued down the stairs, taking a quick glance at Nicole’s outfit. From the ridiculous maroon Van sneakers to the dark jeans and green flannel, with a white shirt underneath, Nicole looked gorgeous. She bit the inside of her cheek while focusing on Nicole’s faces and not the clothes that showed her curves perfectly.

“You’re here early. Must've gotten roped in by someone to help with the decorations.”

“Hmm.” Nicole looked up, pondering for a moment. “My height was a ‘benefactor,’” she quoted.

“Well, some might say you’re a giant.” Waverly grinned.

“And what does that make you? One of Santa’s elves for being short?” Nicole retorted.

“I like to think of myself as vertically challenged, thank you very much.” Waverly stuck her tongue out at Nicole and stepped off the last step. “Let's find Gus, Curtis or Shorty. See what needs to be done.”

There was a list. An honest to God Christmas list with people's names printed on it. Though said list didn’t identify who was naughty or nice, it paired their names with tasks to do. Gus printing such a thing was surprising. Nicole helped set up the party in past years and never had to keep going back and forth to a piece of paper hanging up on the wall. Being given orders from across the room is what Nicole was used too, not Santa’s to-do list. Had Waverly given Gus the idea hoping to decorate in a more timely fashion?

Red, green and white streamers hung from the ceiling. Mistletoe dangled in a few different places throughout the pub. Artificial Poinsettias sat in the middle of the mantle of every window. A few bags of fake snow made of polyester spread across the stage and around the Christmas tree. Various sized empty boxes wrapped up with bows on top sat in front of the tree. For the longest time, Waverly thought it was artificial but after seeing Curtis pour water into the stand, she realized that the tree was in fact real. Later that same day, Waverly facepalmed herself for being so naïve.

White table clothes laid across every round table. The Poinsettias originally were supposed to be in the middle, but drunken fights proved to be the wrong spot for them. As well as buying real flowers. Drunks weren’t very good at cleaning up piles of plant dirt. Though Gus loved having the real flowers in the pub, having the artificial Poinsettias meant less responsibility for upkeep on them during the winter. They left the chairs as is, in case a fight broke out and because patrons didn’t appreciate having something itchy pressed against their back while trying to relax or wallow in self-pity.

The extra pair of hands had decorations going up in no time. Waverly and Nicole worked flawlessly and effortlessly around each other. If one needed help, the other would jump right in, an unspoken rule that was created between them. That was what made them a great team. Shorty, Gus, and Curtis shared knowing glances between themselves, but never once did they speak about the intimacy the two women shared while being in proximity of each other. The tension between them was thick and everyone seemed to ignore it. At one point, Shorty started the jukebox, hoping to ease some of it. When December 1st hit, he had changed out most of the songs to Christmas classics. ‘Help bring out the Christmas spirit,’ he once said.

Opening hour was reining in and the Speakeasy looked like a winter wonderland. Curtis and Nicole strewed white fairy lights along the edge of the ceiling and made the pub have a beautiful fluorescent glow to the room. Music continued to play from the jukebox, the Christmas tree was lit up, the star sitting atop shining brighter than the rest. The feeling of Christmas filled the room and everyone looked around, proud of what they accomplished in a short amount of time.

“I told you that list would work, Gus.” Waverly singsonged then skipped to the stage, stopping the jukebox as she went. She plugged in the speaker and before standing in the middle of the stage and began singing _It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas_. The song was one of her all-time favorites growing up and would sing it whenever she saw Christmas lights or decorations set up.

Nicole stood, smiling proudly at Waverly hitting notes perfectly with no music playing in the background. She glanced over at the others and saw the same proud looks on their faces. Waverly had created a family within Gus, Curtis, and Shorty. They took her in and treated her as if she were their own daughter. In a way, she was for them. Gus and Curtis could never have kids of their own and Shorty never found the right person to settle down with and instead made the Speakeasy his baby. 

Waverly sang a few more lines before motioning for Nicole to join her. The music producer bit her lip, shaking her head, smiling. Of course, Waverly would ask her to join her up on stage. Not that she minded in the slightest. Playing alongside Waverly was a dream come true and watching her body sway to the music was a bonus. Usual Waverly preferred sitting on the bench beside Nicole while she played the piano. The proximity creating an intimate space between them and the air felt heavy after the song was over.

Once Nicole sat down in front of the grand piano, she wanted until Waverly was about to sing the chorus before pressing down on the keys. The tempo was slow and steady. At certain parts of the song, the music crescendo off the stage and vibrated off the walls. The sound always made Nicole proud knowing that was her creating it, but adding Waverly’s voice to mix made the sound a hundred times better.

The Speakeasy began to fill up with people as Nicole and Waverly continued to be in their own little world. When one song ended, Nicole jumped straight into another one. By the fifth song, they stopped for a break. They were so focused on each other that when the entire room erupted into applause; they blushed furiously, knowing they didn’t pay better attention to their surroundings.

“We will take a ten-minute break folks,” Waverly spoke into the mic after placing the microphone into the mic stand. “I need a drink or else I’ll be hoarse and the real performance will never happen.” A few people booed at the thought.

Nicole stood close to Waverly and gently took the mic from her. “It wouldn’t be Christmas if we didn’t hear an Angel sing, am I right?” Everyone erupted into cheers and Waverly’s face turned three shades redder.

Before either of them stepped away from the mic, someone pointed out the mistletoe hanging above them. Nicole tilted her head up and found a mistletoe above her head. Who would put that on a stage? Nicole tried to remember who was in charge of hanging those up but her brain was short-circuiting. She was standing underneath the mistletoe with Waverly Earp. The woman she had fallen for. Was she really about to kiss her for the first time on stage with the whole town watching them?

Another person yelled out ‘kiss her, or I’ll take your place.’ Waverly tensed knowing she was being put on the spot, expected to kiss Nicole. She looked up at the music producer and saw her face still staring at the mistletoe. Waverly touched her shoulder, catching her attention. When Nicole looked down, her eyes softened. Waverly mustered enough courage and pressed a delicate kiss to the corner of the redhead's mouth. Their lips barely touched, but it was enough to quiet the room full of people for now.

Waverly pulled back, face still burning red, not believing she had just done that. That she had *almost kissed Nicole. Pecking her cheek was fine, but getting the tiniest taste of what flavor chapstick she was wearing was unbelievable. She hurried down the steps and licked lips. Vanilla, Waverly noted. Though she wasn’t surprised by the least that was what she wore. A quick image of actually kissing her came to mind. Waverly dropped her head a little, a grin on her face just thinking about it.

“Shot of whiskey, Gus, please.” Waverly leaned against the bar top and sat down on the only empty stool.

“You two sounded beautiful up there.” Gus placed the shot glass in front of her. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard Nicole played piano like that before.”

“She’s incredible to sing with, Gus. Simon is a great pianist, but sometimes he hits the keys a little too loudly. With Nicole though, she’s always kept the volume a couple decimals below my voice.” Waverly looked around the room and spotted Nicole still near the stage, chatting with a few people. “She’s amazing in all honesty.”

Gus reached out and squeezed Waverly’s free hand with her own. She brought her face closer to the singers and whispered. “High time you unstuck those wings and start living your life.”

“I am living my life, Gus.” Waverly retorted.

“There’s surviving and then there’s living. Just remember: some of the best things in life are the surprises it throws at us. About what we want. _Who_ we want. Don’t let the people from this town take those opportunities away.” Gus winked and went back to serving drinks.

Everything Gus said was true. Life always had a funny way of throwing unexpected curve balls at people, and they ended up being the greatest thing to happen to them. Purgatory and Nicole definitely proved that fact. Waverly felt a hand touch the small of her back and slide up her back until they reached shoulder blades. She jumped a little from the contact but instantly relaxed knowing it was Nicole. The smell of vanilla hit her nose before feeling Nicole at her side.

They never needed words to be spoken between the two. Sitting in silence was comfortable and had never once had it been awkward. Being in the same space was enough for them. They sat there for a few minutes then went back out into the coward. Multiple people praised them for how well they worked together and many asked about when Waverly’s record was being released. The question went unanswered or Nicole would simply reply with ‘soon’ or ‘just after the new year.’ Waverly didn’t know much about what happened behind the glass window or how much time Nicole actually spent perfecting her song *Lift Your Spirit Up. She had asked questions since completing the recording, but Nicole was adamant that it was coming along and that it took time to find just the right background music for the song.

Ten minutes had come and gone and the patrons were getting a little rowdy and yet they all wanted one thing. To hear the Angel sing again. Nicole and Waverly worked their way through the crowd and back up onto the stage. Waverly, no matter how many times she sang in front of a multitude of people, she always got nervous and could feel her anxiety rise.

“Hey,” Nicole whispered and gently turned Waverly around so she was facing away from everyone. “You got this. Everyone here in this room loves you.” Nicole let the words linger for a moment; watching Waverly’s eyebrows raise from her unintentional admission. “Deep breath okay. When you turn around just imagine everyone in their underwear.”

Waverly looked at her with a face of disgust. “Ew. Thanks, but no thanks. I’d rather not get nightmares. A rather stupid strategy don’t you think?”

Nicole snorted. “It is, but it got you to think about something else though, didn’t it?”

“What if they hate it, Nicole? I’ve always sung cover songs. What if they’d prefer those versus an original?” Waverly began to panic.

Nicole could see the fear swirling in Waverly’s hazel eyes. Seeing her doubt her capabilities as a singer and songwriter didn’t sit well with Nicole. She let go of Waverly’s hand, that she didn’t know she was holding and grabbed the mic. Everyone stared at her suspiciously, wondering what was happening. Nicole wondered if anyone in town knew that Waverly feared big crowds but sucked it up so she had extra cash in her wallet.

“How’d y’all feel if we performed an original song?” Nicole’s heart swelled with pride when everyone in the pub cheered. She turned to Waverly and noticed she turned around to face the room, a slight blush dusting her cheeks. A small smile tugged at her lips as she held the singer’s gaze. “Let's knock them dead shall we?” Waverly nodded and followed Nicole over to the bench, sitting beside her with her back facing the piano. Nicole looked at Waverly once more before pressing down on the keys and played the tune she knew by heart.

Waverly took a deep breath as the piano’s soft music filled her senses. Another bated breath and she started to sing.

_Footprints in the snow_

_The world, a shining globe_

_The scent of evergreen is like home_

_A deep breath cold and clean_

Waverly turned her head to see the folks of Purgatory watching her and Nicole intently.

_The sound of distant bells_

_A story they foretell_

_An almost silenced night, the sacred still is_

_Brought to life_

Though her anxiety had subsided, Waverly could feel it build back up as she was about to sing the chorus. Parts that Nicole had never heard and Waverly prayed she liked the lyrics. She turned her head to focus on Nicole. The redhead's eyes were closed, head bent forward slightly, and her fingers danced along the keys. A sight Waverly loved seeing.

_Like music, like magic_

_Somehow it just happens_

_I could stay here forever_

_Nothing can compare to this moment with you_

Nicole lifted her head and turned to see Waverly staring at her. A smile blooming across her face, dimples showing. Now she understood why Waverly avoided certain lyrics while they practiced. 

_And winter in the air_

_Winter in the air_

_The sparkling on the streets_

_Red birds hear them sing_

_All is calm and bright underneath the stars_

_They watch the night_

As Waverly started the chorus again, she stood up and took a few steps towards the middle of the stage. Her voice going up a decimal followed by Nicole matching her.

_Oh oh oh_

Waverly smiled at everyone and then went back to Nicole’s side.

_On this snowy night_

_The world is pure and right_

Nicole looked back up at Waverly. Pride, admiration, and what Waverly thought looked a lot like love was shining bright in Nicole’s beautiful brown eyes. The world around them slowly disappeared when Waverly sang the chorus one last time.

_Like music, like magic_

_Somehow it just happens_

_I could stay here forever_

_Nothing can compare to this moment with you_

_And winter in the air_

_Winter in the air_

The room was silent for a brief second. Everyone waiting to see if either of the women realized they had stopped playing. Gus knew they wouldn’t and was the first to clap, others joining immediately after. Some whistled, others shouted ‘bravo.’ The song was simple but held a lot of meaning behind it.

“I told you they’d love it. Listen to that applause. That’s all for you.” Nicole leaned forward and pressed her lips to Waverly’s cheek. Loving the way her face became a shade of red every time it happened.

“ _That_ , Nicole, is for the both of us. Come, take a bow with me before Simon kicks you off the stage. He’ll be itching to play soon.” Waverly giggled at Nicole’s mocked hurt expression.

The party went on with Waverly and Simon taking the stage. Different Christmas songs filled the pub; making it feel cheery and bright. Nicole had stayed in the back corner, nursing a bottle of beer. Listening to Waverly sing was her favorite part of the day. It didn’t matter how many times or how long she heard the angelic voice; it was a sound she would never trier from.

“This next song,” Waverly’s voice broke Nicole from her thoughts. “Is another original.” Hoots and hollers came from a few dozen people.

Nicole’s eyes widened, was she supposed to go back on stage? She and Waverly had only practiced one song. Maybe Waverly was going to perform _Lift Your Spirit Up_ for the first time? Nicole was about to find out.

Waverly walked to one side of the stage and grabbed the guitar that was hidden from sight. It was time for her to perform the song she had written for Nicole. “I’ve been writing it for a few weeks now and tonight feels like the right time to sing it.” She pulled a stool that sat in the corner over to the mic and sat down. Situating the guitar in her lap, then placing her left hand along the fretboard. 

“So, to the person who believed in me and took a chance of a lifetime on me, this song is for you.” Waverly didn’t mean to look directly at Nicole when saying the last word, but she wanted her to know that the song she was about to sing was important.

Waverly took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and strummed a few cords:

_I don't want a lot for Christmas_

_There is just one thing I need_

_I don't care about the presents_

_Underneath the Christmas tree_

_I just want you for my own_

_More than you could ever know_

_Make my wish come true oh_

_All I want for Christmas is you_

The tempo picked up as Waverly started singing through a smile.

_I don't want a lot for Christmas_

_There is just one thing I need, and I_

_Don't care about the presents_

_Underneath the Christmas tree_

_I don't need to hang my stocking_

_There upon the fireplace_

_Santa Claus won't make me happy_

_With a toy on Christmas day_

Nicole was frozen in place, her eyes glued to the stage. Waverly was singing a Christmas song for her. About wanting to be with her. Did Nicole hit her head, and this was all but a dream?

_I just want you for my own_

_More than you could ever know_

_Make my wish come true_

_All I want for Christmas is you_

Nicole pinched the inside of her upper arm, wincing in pain. Nope, definitely not a dream.

_I won't ask for much this Christmas_

_I won't even wish for snow, and I_

_I just wanna keep on waiting_

_Underneath the mistletoe_

Nicole smirked at the irony of that statement. She then remembered the Christmas gift she had for Waverly was back at the studio and began forming a plan on how to give it to her.

  
  


_I won't make a list and send it_

_To the North Pole for Saint Nick_

_I won't even stay awake_

_To hear those magic reindeer click_

_’Cause I just want you here tonight_

_Holding on to me so tight_

_What more can I do_

_Oh, Baby all I want for Christmas is you_

Waverly looked up from her guitar, glancing around at the faces; her singing captivating them. Maybe Nicole was right. When the Angel sings, they listen.

_All the lights are shining_

_So brightly everywhere,_

_And the sound of children's_

_Laughter fills the air_

_And everyone is singing_

_I hear those sleigh bells ringing_

_Santa won't you bring me_

_The one I really need_

_Won't you please bring my baby to me quickly_

With their eyes locked, Nicole set down her beer and walked around a few people so she could stand in front of the stage but still far enough away to not look obvious.

_I don't want a lot for Christmas_

_This is all I'm asking for_

_I just wanna see my baby_

_Standing right outside my door_

_I just want you for my own_

_More than you could ever know_

_Make my wish come true_

_Baby, all I want for Christmas is you_

_All I want for Christmas is you, baby_

Waverly continued to strum her guitar for another ten or more seconds, eyes never leaving Nicole. The tension between was heavy, much like her breathing was. She knew that everyone was clapping and praising her, well, everyone but one. Nicole remained frozen, her chest rising and falling quicker than usual. Waverly wasn’t sure if she should be worried or be delighted that Nicole was, lack of a better term, speechless. Then it happened, the biggest smile Waverly had ever seen blossom across her face. She felt her body relax and released a breath she didn’t know she was holding.

“Thank you, everyone!” Waverly swallowed thickly, standing up and giving a quick curtsy before putting her guitar away. She left the stage, leaving Simon to play softly on the piano, and went straight for Nicole. When Waverly was within reach, Nicole wrapped her arms around her waist and pulled her in, hugging her tight.

“That was beautiful and I can’t believe you never showed me that song until now.” Nicole pulled back some, staring down at Waverly.

“I take it you liked it then?” Waverly gently teased.

“I loved it.” Nicole paused for a moment. She stepped back and intertwined their fingers. “Come on, since you’re finished, for now, I want to show you something.” She dragged the singer over to the doors and grabbed their coats. “You’ll need this.” Nicole winked and slipped her beanie on.

Without another word, Nicole pulled Waverly swiftly through the doors and down the street. The road was covered in a thin sheet of snow, shining bright under each street light. It was snowing on Christmas and Waverly loved it. Even though she couldn’t really admire the view while being dragged by Nicole. She was about to ask where they were going until Nicole abruptly stopped.

Nicole shoved a hand into her jacket pocket, fishing out her keys to the studio, quickly unlocking the door and then ushered Waverly in. Though she was giddy, she still helped Waverly take off the layers of coats she wore and then guided her to the live-room. Waverly asked a question that fell on deaf ears as Nicole went straight for her desk and picked up a wrapped gift she set there that morning.

“Open this, please.” Nicole bit her bottom lip and handed the large square gift to Waverly.

The singer took the package in her hands, marveling at the wrapping paper and how neatly it was done. “Did you buy me a calendar?” Waverly joked.

Nicole chuckled. “Not quite,” As Waverly tore up the wrapping paper, she simply said: “It’s done.”

Waverly's head snapped up, eyes widening. Nicole didn’t have to explain what those two simple words meant. She already knew. “Is th-this.” She started and when the wrapping paper fell to the ground, her mouth dropped, words leaving her.

There, in her hands, was the vinyl for her song _Lift Your Spirit Up_. Not once had Nicole mentioned creating a record for the song. She imagined a CD or something she’d be able to download on her computer, but never that. Waverly had mentioned to Nicole once that she loved listening to old vinyls and would love to have her own music be on one someday. She just didn’t think Nicole would take her seriously.

“Thank you so much for this.”

“You deserve it. You worked extremely hard to make this track, and I hope to be recording more songs with you in the upcoming years.”

“I think I can manage that… Earlier, um... the song I sang was uh-” Waverly drifted off, a small blush forming.

“I know, Wave.” Nicole rubbed at the back of her neck. “There’s actually one more gift I have for you.” She took the vinyl out of Waverly’s hand and sat it back on her desk. Nicole breathed in deeply, taking a quick glance up, and moved into Waverly’s personal space.

“Nicole,” Waverly whispered. Her eyes slipping closed, mouth opening slightly. She knew what was about to happen and wondered if Nicole could feel her heart beating.

“Underneath the mistletoe,” Nicole began to sing, pointing upward. Waverly giggled, not bothering to look up knowing what she’d find. “Make my wish come true, cause baby all I want for Christmas is you.”

Before Waverly could respond, she felt lips press against her own. The action caught her slightly off guard, but quickly melted into the embrace and kissed Nicole back. Waverly coiled her arms around Nicole’s neck, a hand threading through red tresses. Nicole’s lips were soft and tasted like beer with a hint of vanilla still lingering. An odd taste that should have disgusted Waverly and yet she found she couldn’t get enough.

Waverly was the first to pull back, pressing her forehead against Nicole’s. “Wow.”

“Wow, indeed,” Nicole agreed, giving a tiniest of pecks on Waverly’s nose, making her giggle.

“You stole my lyrics,” Waverly grinned. 

“I like to think of it as borrowing, so I hope that’s okay.”

Waverly kissed Nicole once more. “More than okay, especially if it means I can keep kissing you.”

Nicole smiled brightly. “Baby, you can kiss me whenever you like.”

“Well, in that case,” Waverly leaned forward and kissed Nicole again. They stayed like for what felt like hours, making up for all the times they could have been kissing, but were too scared to act on their feelings.

Lips kissed swollen and slightly red, Nicole rested her forward against Waverly’s. “Merry Christmas, Wave.”

“Merry Christmas, Nicole.”

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas. Whatever is it you celebrate or don't this time of year, I hope it is joyous either way!


End file.
